Can Mold Grow in my Dishwasher?

Dishwasher Environment

• Your dishwasher is a prime area for mold growth in your home. The hot water used to clean dishes creates a warm, moist environment, perfect for mold to thrive in. Also, leftover food particles and grease can be caught inside the dishwasher. Over time, they build up and provide mold with a rich food source. Mold most often grows around a dishwasher's rubber seal.

Mold Dangers

• Mold growing inside your dishwasher can fill the entire unit with a foul, earthy odor. Mold spores can cause health reactions in people who are sensitive to them. Symptoms of a reaction can include a skin rash, a runny nose and difficulties breathing. If you don't remove the mold in your dishwasher, you risk it spreading to other areas of your home, creating a more complicated and costly problem to clean up.

Solutions

• Getting rid of the mold in your dishwasher gets ride of the unpleasant smell and prevents future problems. Use undiluted white vinegar to kill mold. It contains acetic acid and is strong enough to kill mold, but gentle enough for use on your dishwasher. It also acts as a deodorant, getting rid of the musty smell. Soak a sponge in vinegar and wipe away all visible mold around the rubber seal inside your dishwasher. Next, fill a plastic cup with vinegar and place it right-side up in the top rack of your dishwasher. Run a cycle with the hottest water possible. The vinegar will kill any lingering mold spores inside the unit, as well as deodorize the interior.

Considerations

• Reduce the risk of mold returning by scraping food debris off your plates and rinsing them well before placing them inside the dishwasher. Don't overload the dishwasher by cramming it full of dirty dishes. Don't let dirty dishes sit inside it for more than a few days. If possible, leave your dishwasher door open for an hour after using it. This helps dry out the interior, making it less attractive to mold.